Refuge
by TessaStarDean
Summary: A horrific day in the E.R. leaves Cameron drained. Oneshot. WilsonCameron.


As they sent the last patient out, Cameron sighed and leaned against the nearest wall. She was tired, and every bone in her body ached as she struggled to keep her emotions under control. But she was still surrounded by doctors and nurses, and she didn't want to break in front of them.

The bomb had gone off at 9:30 that morning, without warning. Fire and shrapnel had ripped through the emergency room, killing or wounding everyone in its path. A piece of glass had embedded itself in Cameron's arm, but Chase had been able to remove it and patch her up quickly. Ignoring the pain, she had gone right back into the fray, helping whoever she came across.

All hell had broken loose. Those closest to the blast site were, for the most part, dead. But there were those few who were left in agony, screaming as they bled out, or as they stared at limbs that used to be attached. E.R. doctors and nurses were scattered among the bodies as well, and Cameron did her best not to look at those. Every now and then, though, her eyes would rest on a colleague or friend who hadn't survived the explosion, and she would have to rip her gaze away before the thought could fully process.

Every doctor in the hospital was called down to help, and she could see House limping around, his usual sarcasm held mostly in check as he did his part. Patients needed to be transferred to other emergency rooms when possible, and critical wounds had to be taken care of where they were, with whatever resources were available. Firefighters and paramedics added to the chaos as they tried to clear the rubble and get the uninjured out of the way.

Hours later, and people were slowly leaving the war zone. Cameron watched as she leaned against the wall, the horrific images that she had seen threatening to ambush her and destroy the defenses she had so hastily thrown up. With tears burning against the back of her eyes, she pushed away from the wall and turned her back on the grisly scene.

She didn't know where she was heading until she stood in front of his door. She briefly considered knocking, but her desire to get away from everyone else, to hide behind a locked door, overrode any desire to be polite. Turning the handle, she moved into the room and sighed in relief when she saw him sitting behind his desk.

Wilson was out of his chair immediately, concern etched on his face along with the weariness and pain.

"Cameron?"

She opened her mouth to say that she was alright, that she just needed a break from the craziness outside. But instead of words coming out, a broken sob escaped her lips. Unable to stem the tide, tears streamed down her cheeks as her shoulders shook, the weight of the day finally breaking her.

He was there in an instant, his arms wrapping around her as he held her tightly. Running his fingers through her long hair, he whispered soothingly in her ear, letting her cry out all the demons she had fought down that day. He had watched her as they worked; he had seen how she struggled to keep it together, how she had gone above and beyond to make sure that everyone got the care they needed.

Slowly, her tears began to subside, and Wilson led them over to the couch on the far side of his office. They sat side by side, his arm wrapped around her shoulders as her head lay on his chest.

"I'm sorry," she said quietly.

"Don't be," he replied, holding her a little closer. "You needed to get that out of your system." He paused. "I'm glad you felt comfortable enough to come to me," he said quietly.

"I feel safe here," she whispered. After a few seconds, she tilted her head up to look at him. "But what about you? Aren't you at all affected by what happened down there?"

"Of course I am," he said firmly. "I just haven't dealt with it yet. I don't know that I'll cry when I finally do face it. But this right here, sitting with you? It helps. It reminds me that I'm not alone, and that we did a lot of good today."

Cameron mulled over his words for a moment and then nodded, resting her head against him again. Wilson took one of her hands in his, entwining their fingers and smiling when she squeezed him back. Leaning his head back, he let his eyes wander to the window.

"Cameron?"

"Yeah?"

"House seems to be very interested in us at the moment."

She chuckled. "Is he spying at us from his balcony?"

"Yes. And he seems to be frowning quite a bit in confusion."

Cameron shrugged. "Let him stare."

Wilson looked down at her in surprise. "Really? What happened to your firm stance on no one at work knowing about us?"

She sat up a little, so that she could look him in the eye. "I just realized how stupid that was. I don't care who knows about us. I don't want to waste time pretending that I don't love you."

The smile on his face was lopsided and nervous. "You love me?"

Cameron nodded. "I hope that's okay with you."

"It's more than okay," he said quietly. "I love you too."

Smiling, Cameron leaned in and kissed him softly. Just before closing his eyes, Wilson saw the shock registering on House's face, but he suddenly didn't care anymore. With a contented sigh, he wrapped his arms around Cameron and kissed her more firmly.


End file.
